How to Be an AntiracistHow to Be an Antiracist
Score Modern
What it's about
Ibram X. Kendi argues that there is no such thing as being simply not racist: ideas and policies either reduce racial inequity or keep it in place. He builds the argument through his own life, from a speech he gave as a teenager that blamed Black people for their own problems to his slow rethinking of what he had absorbed, with each chapter taking on a different kind of racism.
Why it's worth reading
It hit #1 on the New York Times list and became one of the most widely read books of 2020. It's blunt and personal, and whether readers agree or not, it shaped how a generation talks about race.
You'll love it if you liked
Between the World and Me
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration
Malcolm X: A Life of ReinventionGood to know
It's as much memoir as argument. Its definitions and prescriptions are debated, including among writers on race.
By the numbers
- Readers94 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller70 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #21 of the 119 science and ideas books we rank
- #48 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #127 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #252 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story, Thought-provoking
More by Ibram X. Kendi
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All 36 best-of lists →
Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 ranked
Science and ideas booksTop 25 · 119 ranked
Modern booksTop 25 · 1,573 ranked
Books of the 2010sTop 25 · 736 ranked
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 459 ranked
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 ranked
Literary novelsTop 25 · 309 ranked
Science fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedQuick answers
Is How to Be an Antiracist worth reading?
Yes. It hit #1 on the New York Times list and became one of the most widely read books of 2020. It ranks #252 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 82.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is How to Be an Antiracist about?
Ibram X. Kendi argues that there is no such thing as being simply not racist: ideas and policies either reduce racial inequity or keep it in place. He builds the argument through his own life, from a speech he gave as a teenager that blamed Black people for their own problems to his slow rethinking of what he had absorbed, with each chapter taking on a different kind of racism.
How long does it take to read How to Be an Antiracist?
About 8 hours (320 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after How to Be an Antiracist?
If you liked it, try Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates, The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson or Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention by Manning Marable.